Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 9:18-26

"While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and [so did] his disciples. And behold, a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: for she said within herself, If I do but touch his garment, I shall be made whole. But Jesus turning and seeing her said, Daughter, be of good cheer; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus came into the ruler`s house, and saw the flute-players, and the crowd making a tumult, he said, Give place: for the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the crowd was put forth, he entered in, and took her by the hand; and the damsel arose. And the fame hereof went forth into all that land." — Matthew 9:18-26 (ASV)

The Evangelist has related the miracles by which remedies were applied against the dangers of sin; here, he relates those miracles by which remedies are applied against the dangers of death.

And it is divided into two parts: therefore, firstly, he recounts how Christ restored life; and secondly, he recounts how Christ restored vital operations, where it is said, And as Jesus passed from there.

Regarding the first part, to begin with, the invitation to accomplish the miracle is related; secondly, evidence of His power to perform miracles is related, where it is said, And behold a woman, etc.; and thirdly, the preparation of the miracle is related, where it is said, And when the multitude was put forth.

Regarding the first (the invitation), he does four things. Firstly, he describes the time of the invitation; secondly, the person inviting; thirdly, the invitation; and fourthly, the acceptance of the invitation.

He says, therefore, As he was speaking these things, that is, in Matthew’s house.

But there is an objection: Mark and Luke relate the events in a different order, namely, that this man approached Jesus after He had crossed over the sea. Augustine resolves this by saying that when something is mentioned by the Evangelists pertaining to time, then the historical order is represented; and therefore, when it is said here, As he was speaking, the historical order is designated; but in Mark and Luke the events are related according to the order of their memory. Or, it can be said that there was some middle place where this occurred. For sometimes they do not say whether something happened immediately, later, or at what time.

It continues, Behold a certain ruler. Here is presented the person inviting, namely, a ruler of the synagogue, and he is named Jairus, meaning ‘illuminating’ or ‘illuminated.’ In Genesis 23:6, it is written: You are a prince of God among us. Firstly, he showed reverence, because he came up personally. Moreover, he adored. He also confessed Christ’s power, because he says, Lord. This ruler represents the Fathers of old, because they came up through their desire, and believing, they adored Christ still to come; We will adore in the place where his feet stood (Psalms 131:7); Know you that the Lord he is God (Psalms 99:3).

The danger follows: Lord, my daughter is even now dead. The opposite is stated in Luke and Mark: because there (Mark 5:23) it is said: My daughter is at the point of death. And when He was on the way his servants came to him, etc.

Augustine resolves this objection as follows: he says that when this Jairus departed from his home, she was already at the point of death, and he was supposing that he would not find her alive when he would return; for that reason, he was asking Him to come and restore her to life, rather than that He cure her: hence, he says, My daughter is even now dead, etc., as if he were saying: ‘I suppose that she is already dead.’ The other Evangelists, therefore, spoke according to what happened. Therefore, Augustine gives a good teaching, that it is not necessary that the very same words be recorded; but it suffices that only the meaning be declared.

But why did the servants say: Do not trouble the master (Mark 5:35)? This seems to have been spoken out of disbelief. It should be said that this would be true if this would have been spoken in conformity with their master’s intent; but they themselves did not know his intent. Chrysostom explains this passage as follows: It is the custom of some persons, when they wish to move others to compassion, that they exaggerate the evil; therefore, so that he might move Him more to compassion, he said, My daughter is dead.

This daughter is the Synagogue, which is the daughter of the ruler, namely, Moses, which is dead through its infidelity; But now they are hidden from your eyes, etc. (Luke 19:42). But it seems that in this ruler his faith is mixed with infidelity, because he believed that Christ could restore life, and this pertained to faith; but because he believed that when absent He could not, this pertained to infidelity. Hence, he was similar to Naaman, who said: I thought he would have come out to me, and standing, would have invoked the name of the Lord his God, and touched with his hand the place of the leprosy, and healed me (2 Kings 5:11).

But come, lay your hand upon her, and she shall live. Mystically, this signifies the desire of the Patriarchs for Christ’s coming; hence, they were saying: Come, lay your hand, that is, Christ, as it is written in Psalm 143:7: Send forth your hand from on high.

And Jesus rising up followed him. Rising up, namely, from the dinner. Here is an example of Christ’s mercy, because, at the request of that man, He went immediately as it is stated: As soon as he shall hear, the Lord will answer you (Isaiah 30:19). Likewise, He gives an example to prelates about care, that they be careful to immediately aid those with sins. Likewise, He gives an example of obedience, because He drew His disciples with Him, as it is stated: Obey your prelates (Hebrews 13:17). But He did not draw Matthew, because he was still weak.

And behold a woman. He gives an example of power: and the Evangelist does three things. Firstly, her sickness is described; secondly, the praise of the woman is described, where it is said, She said within herself, etc.; and thirdly, the goodness of Christ’s healing is described, where it is said, But Jesus turning, etc.

He says, therefore, And behold a woman. And it is stated in Leviticus 12, that a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood was unclean, and did not dwell with men; for that reason, she did not approach Him in the house, but on the road. And she signifies the Gentile nations, which entered into the fullness of the Jews, as is stated: Blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in (Romans 11:25). She, namely, the Synagogue, has an issue of blood, namely, the error of sacrificial blood. Or, it can be applied to the sins of the flesh; hence, Flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50). This woman was troubled twelve years, and the ruler’s daughter was twelve years old; hence, she began to be troubled when the ruler’s daughter was born.

She came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. Here is related the praise of the woman herself from her own humility, and from her faith, which is very important for supplication. She came, and touched the hem of his garment from behind. Why from behind? It is because she was considered unclean; hence, whatever she touched was unclean according to the Law, and for that reason, she dared to touch only the hem. It was commanded in the Law that in the four corners of clothing they wear tassels, and there they wore timbrels for a remembrance of God’s commandments, and in order that they would thus be distinguished from others; and Christ was wearing this clothing. Mystically, the woman signifies the Gentile nations, which came near by faith. But from behind, because they did not come while He was living. Likewise, they touched His garment, namely, His humanity, and only the hem, because they touched only through the Apostles.

For she said within herself: If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed. Hilary says: “Great is Christ’s power, because it not only overflows into His soul, but from His soul into His body, and from His body into His clothing.” And thus we should hold in reverence everything that has touched Christ’s body; Like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, which ran down to the skirt of his garment, etc. (Psalms 132:2). “That ran down upon the beard,” that is, the divinity into the flesh: and, “to the skirt of the garment,” that is, to the Apostles. I shall be healed. If we act in this manner, and adhere to Him, we shall be healed. Every one that shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved (Joel 2:32).

But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: Be of good heart, daughter. Here, Christ’s goodness is shown. Firstly, it is shown by an action, because He turned towards her. And why? It was so that she would not lack confidence: for because she had approached stealthily, she did not imagine that He would turn towards her. Likewise, He did this so that the faith of this woman might be held up as an example. Similarly, it was so that He might show Himself to be God: hence, He turned with the turning of mercy, and He saw her with the eye of pity; Turn you to me, and I will turn to you (Zechariah 1:3). Moreover, His goodness is shown, when He says, Be of good heart: because she approached fearfully, for that reason He spoke to her soothingly; If you return and be quiet, you shall be saved (Isaiah 30:15). Again, He calls her, daughter, so that she would not be timid; He gave them power to be made the sons of God (John 1:12). Likewise, He gives hope, Your faith has made you whole. Hence, “our salvation is by faith” as is stated in Romans 3. And the effect follows, And the woman was made whole from that hour; and not from the moment when Christ spoke, but from the moment when she touched.

And when Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels, etc. Here the restoration to life is related: and he does four things. Firstly, the signs of death are related; secondly, hope is given, where it is said, Give place, etc.; thirdly, the restoration to life is related; and fourthly, the effect is related.

He says, therefore, when He was come… and saw, etc. And why did the minstrels come? The crowd came just as it usually happens now for the dead; but the minstrels came, because it was the custom that minstrels would come and sing dirges, in order that they might excite others to weeping, as it is stated in Jeremiah 9:17: Consider you, and call for the mourning women, and let them come. These minstrels are the false teachers: Their tongue, and their devices are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his majesty (Isaiah 3:8). The crowd, however, is the Jewish people: You shall not follow the multitude to do evil (Exodus 23:2).

The Lord raised this girl to life in the house; for the Lord raised three persons to life: the young girl in the house, the young man in the gate, and Lazarus in the tomb. For some men die from sin; but they are not carried outside, and this is by consenting to sin; but they do not go outside by deeds. Some men, however, are carried outside as a result of an action; and this is signified by him whom He raised to life in the gate. But some men, from their habit of sinning, lie in the tomb, who are signified by Lazarus. This girl, therefore, signifies a sinner who is in a hidden sin, namely, in the mind. The minstrels are they who encourage him in the sin; The sinner is praised in the desires of his soul (Psalms 9:3). The crowd is the thoughts: and this the Lord heals.

Hence, He says, Give place, for she is not dead. Here He gives hope. She is not dead, namely, to Him; but sleepeth, because it is just as easy for Him to raise to life as it is for anyone to raise someone from sleep. Something similar is said in John 11:11: Lazarus our friend sleeps. She is not dead. And why did He speak in this fashion? This seems unfitting, because they laughed him to scorn. And why did He want to be ridiculed? This was so that they could not speak against the miracle. Hence, firstly, He made His adversaries confess, so that afterwards they could not contradict.

And when the multitude was put forth. And why was the crowd put forth? It was because it was not worthy to see. The crowd of the Jews is they who are not converted. And, morally, in order for the soul to be raised to life, it is fitting that the crowd of thoughts be expelled; and then the Lord enters. He went in, and took her by the hand, etc. The right hand of the Lord has wrought strength (Psalms 117:16). He holds the hand of the sinner, when He gives him help. And the maid arose, namely, to life; in this way, we arise to life through God’s help. The spreading of His fame throughout all that country consequently followed.